Documents / FOIA release
This is an October 1968 contribution by the Central Intelligence Agency's Office of Strategic Research to National Intelligence Estimate 11-14-68 on Soviet and East European general purpose forces. It covers Warsaw Pact war plans for Central Europe, the effects of the Czechoslovak crisis, and the doubling of Soviet forces on the Chinese border since 1965. It also assesses ground, tactical air, naval and coastal defense forces. The text does not mention UFOs or unidentified aerial phenomena.
“Indian Air Force”2 pages
TO gal -RET The BTR-152 has poor cross-country mobility and is not amphibious. The BTR-60, which is gradually replacing the BTR-152, is amphibious does not appear to be a satisfactory vehicle, how- ever, due to its large size, high silhouette, and topside entrance hatches. These characteristics result in maximum exposure of the crew to enemy fire while dismounting or mounting. The Soviets have recently exhibited a new armored amphibious tracked carrier mounting a turreted 76mm cannon and a Sagger antitank missile, with. space for ten men. This vehicle appears to have better characteristics than the BTR-60 and is designed to carry a Soviet squad rather than all or most of a platoon as is the case with the BTR-152. Deployment of the new vehicle has begun, and we expect it to replace a limited number of APC's in Category I tank divisions. It may also be employed as a reconnaissance vehicle, replacing the PT-76. light amphibious tank or the BTR-40 armored amphib- ious reconnaissance vehicle, or perhaps both. Soviets are terminating pro uction of t e T- medium tank, leaving the T-62 as the only medium tank in current production. About 4,000 to 5,000 T-62's have probably been produced thus far, repre- senting no more than 15 percent of the total Soviet medium tank requirement. About half the T-62's have probably gone to Soviet divisions in Germany and to Category I divisions in the western USSR. Probably between one-third and half of the tank battalions in these areas are equipped with.T-62's. Many of the remainder of the T-62's have probably gone..to units along the China border, leaving small. numbers to be.distributed among the rest of the. Soviet divisions. We believe that by 1969 the Soviets will begin producing a new main battle tank. If the new tank realizes the design characteristics anticipated in official Soviet writings, it will probably have increased speed, a high-velocity cannon with an automatic loader, and possibly an antitank missile launcher. - 48 - TOP SECRET
Not linked to a story yet.
FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 115 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.